Following a setback due to a shoulder injury during spring training, Houston Astros’ ace Justin Verlander is cautiously optimistic about his readiness for Opening Day, though he acknowledges the challenge ahead.
“Verlander threw his third session on Wednesday after grappling with a shoulder setback last month. Despite feeling and looking good, he acknowledges being off pace,” reported Jon Heyman of the New York Post. “The prospect of making it for Opening Day is uncertain. ‘Not impossible,’ he remarked, ‘but it’s going to be tight.'”
In the previous season, Verlander made 11 appearances for the Astros following a midseason trade from the New York Mets. During this stint, he secured a 3.31 ERA, striking out 63 batters in 68 innings.
While Verlander’s performance between his tenure with the Mets and the Astros was respectable, it fell short of his remarkable 2022 statistics. In that standout year, he dominated with a league-best 1.75 ERA and 185 strikeouts across 28 starts, propelling Houston to a World Series victory and clinching his third Cy Young Award.
Despite a commendable 2.95 ERA in the playoffs last year, the Astros were thwarted by the eventual champions, the Texas Rangers, in the ALCS.
Now, at 41 years old, Verlander is focused on regaining his health in time for Opening Day and aiming for a repeat of his stellar 2022 performance.
With a decorated career already behind him, the veteran pitcher remains determined to add another World Series title to his resume with the Astros this season.
